Fire and Phoenix's Chosen
by SapphireGarry
Summary: Au, in the Middle Ages? The reign of Akainu's rule has come to an end with a new king being crowded! Too bad Ace can't go because he just doesn't seemed to have the best luck but that's ok because he can also have the company of this new stranger he can't help but fall for.


Ok so here's something that just came randomly and that I've been writing for a while so I hope you all enjoy it! :3

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Ace was hunting in the forest next to the kingdom that was near his house. He was trying to do this as quick as possible since it was about the time Edward Newgate or Whitebeard was to become king. He was a knight of the kingdom after all…. He focus as he drew his bow, arrow aligned while it tighten before it flew at his prey hitting it right in the neck.

He to it, thanking nature for it before hosting it on his shoulder proceeding to carry it home.

"That's a nice catch you got there yoi. You are a very skilled hunter."

Ace turned to see a blonde man behind him, sitting in a tree? How did he not see the man before? There was nothing but birds an-

"I have to go but it was fun watching you….Will you tell me your name?"

"It's-"

The horns from the kingdom rang loudly signifying that the ceremony for the king was about to begin. Ace turned to the man to finish the name when he noticed he was gone, sighing Ace rushed back to the house so he wouldn't be totally late for it. Too bad he didn't get the blonde's name but he at least hoped that he saw the handsome blonde again….

Stop it Ace! He shook his head knowing he shouldn't be lusting over a stranger he just meet bu-Aahhhhh! Ace groaned as he got up he fell down again realizing that he did in fact twist his ankle over thinking about the stranger….Arh! Not one to be defeated though he got up, dragging the deer through the woods to the cabin before he collapsed against the door making a bang sound.

The door was opened revealing his two younger brothers, he smiled at the second youngest hoping the scolding wouldn't be so-

"Ace what have you done!?"

Well, there went that idea….

"Hey Sabo….Now don't be panicked Sab-"

"Get in the house Ace….You are so getting scolded!"

"But Sabo it wasn't even my fault this ti-"

"No excuses!"

Ace was dragged in the house getting bandaged up before his brothers left for the ceremony. He sighed thinking about leaving but he really didn't want another scolding so, staying here it was. He wonder what the royal family looked liked, or wo they were because after all he was going to serve them….

When Akainu was the king it was hell for the lower class, the man preached of justice but to Ace it was all hot air. The man had the citizens divided saying that the 'scum' of them deserved the worst and no better, or the ones who made trouble for the king.

Also, anyone who made trouble for the king could be drafted in the worst jobs,knights, or experiments for the government. Ace was just glad he was put as a knight instead of a grotesque job or worse for the dogs of the military.

But now finally a new king was here and hopefully this time it would be better. The people of this kingdom could only hope for the better….Ace sighed before looking around letting his head dropped feeling as clouds were hanging above his head. This was so sad him sitting here by himself not doing anything, something he hated the most. Ace let himself get more comfortable on his bed that Sabo carried him to before deciding to get a little shut eye, yeah seemed like a good idea...

Ace let sleep engulf him.

Ace woke up, not so pleasantly, as a big ball(?) landed on his stomach, making him roll to the side trying to regain the breath he had lost glaring at the perpetrator that caused him this pain, and of course it was his little brother Lu?

"Lu, aren't you supposed to be at the king's ceremony? Wait, how long was I asleep?"

"Brother, we have some guests we would like to meet you."

Ace watched as Sabo came in, along with some people dressed with what he could recognize as...royal...Sabo did not bring the royals to their house! Ace quickly got up, even startling them and his brothers as he kneeled in front of them. If these guys were anything like Akainu he didn't want to-

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Ace was unsure if he was the one being spoken to so he kept his head bowed but the hand on his shoulder quickly changed that.

"Come on man, stand up! You don't need to bow to us!"

"Thatch is quite right dear. You are fine, we heard you had a injury and came to see how you were doing since you are a knight. We don't want you to think you have to come in if you are still injured! By the way sweetheart, my name is Izo and the man next to me is my brother Thatch."

"Nice to meet you!"

"I'm sorry we're in a hurry because of a certain turkey but we heard from your brothers you are a knight that used to serve the former king. Would you still like to serve the king?"

Out all the things expected to hear, it was not that.

"Huh?"

"We're going from house to house seeing if the former knights are still willing to serve the country. Do-"

"yes but it will take a while for my injury to heal, is that okay?"

"Yes, just take your time in healing, ok? Oh Sh-Thatch we have to go if we want to make the curfew!"

"Alright, we got to go but I'm glad we got to meet you! Bye!"

The brothers watched as the two fled, leaving the brothers cough up their dust. Both Sabo and Lu smiled at him, happy at the fact that Ace got a choice in his decision in continuing to be a knight, while Ace was still looking at the door realizing that he never them gave his name. So throughout the days he was at home, (secretly since he didn't want to get a scolding from Sabo)limping out into the forest to hunt but to also to meet the new friend that he had made.

Ace was not as lonely as he thought he'd been when he went into the forest to hunt and meet the man there again. Ace had been in this cast for a week now, and it was not fun being alone. But they exchanged names, relinquishing in the silent company of each other before either he or Marco had to leave.

"Oh yeah before we part ways my name is Portgas D Ace. Can I have your name?"

"Marco, just Marco yoi."

They promised to meet again both parting ways as Ace made his way back to the cabin, not expecting Sabo to be there with another man in scrubs?

"There you are Ace! You know I told you not to go outside!"

"Really? Must have slipped...Ow! Sabo!"

"I don't want to hear any excuses! On the couch now so the doctor can look at you!"

So Ace sat down rubbing the huge bump on his head, pouting as the doctor checked him over. Ace watched as the man put his hand over the cast a warm light coming from his palm before it disappeared entirely.

"Ok the good news is that you'll only have to wear this another week before it can come off. By the time it does you can go back to the Knights Guard."

"Thank you Doctor Rayleigh for coming over."

"No problem my boy. I might forget so just call me in a week's time to check up ok? Oh, and also take care of my nephew for me! Bye!"

"Ok, Thanks Doc-Wait? NEPHEW?! Ace why didn't you tell me?!"

Ace laughed at his brother, but Sabo eventually got over it once he told him the old man likes to love a quiet life and then explaining Lu, to which Sabo understood because of his father. Lu would have a field day of he found out that Ace's father was Gol D Roger. So after Sabo left warning him not to go outside, he left after a few minutes meeting Marco at the tree.

"Hey Marco! Guess what?"

"Hm? What is it yoi?"

"You this cast I've had on for the past week?"

"Are you getting it off yoi?"

"Yeah! And I'll be finally able to go back to my job!"

"That's greet yoi. I guess I'll have to find another companion then huh?"

"What? Oh! Oh no...I didn't think about it until now... I'll have to live where I work but I still want to see you Marco!"

"Stop, your going to make me blush yoi."

"You know for the next week I'm going to be at my cabin! So if you are free and I can't come over, you can come to my house! That way we can spend whatever amount of time we have left..."

"You sure you should be giving that information out so easily to a stranger like me yoi?"

"I don't feel like you're a stranger, if that sounds right...I have a cabin to the west of this tree! I even made it so I could tell which direction it was from. These white flowers point in the direction of my house, so that's how you can find me."

Marco nodded, both leaving on their way since Marco had to help his father in a important matters. Ace going back to the house, quickly opening the door looking in, and closing it behind himself when he went in. Ace had been in the past few days since Lu was constantly coming back between what he was doing and the house, leaving no room for Ace to go see Marco unless he wanted to get scolded by Sabo. Although it's been another week in this cast Ace had been excited to hear that the doctor that came to visit sent a letter that he was coming to remove the cast tomorrow.

Ace got up making his way to the packaged boar Sabo got him this morning, opening the door to go out and cook it when he saw Marco there about to knock on the door. Marco stepped to the side letting Ace go by, making his way to the cooking pot they had outside.

"I was about to cook some meat with fruit on the side, want some?"

"Sure yoi."

Ace got up, tripping backwards, closing his eyes as he waited for the pain in his back but it never came because of the warm arms around his waist. Once he slowly began to open his eyes, he didn't expect the warm set of lips against his own making him as red as the sun. Once his mind registered what he was happening, he responded kissing the man back with as much vigor as the other was using. Ace pushed off Marco, both of his hands on the man's chest smiling up at the other.

"Sorry about the random kiss yoi. I was thinking about what my brothers said to me, and I want to tell you I like you Ace."

"T-That's ok, I like you too Marco….I still want to spend more time with you but I'll come as often as my job allows me."

"Now that I've noticed, you never told me your job yoi. What do you do?"

"Oh, Well I'm a-"

"ACE! Are you here!?"

"That's my brother Lu! Looks like he's home early…."

"It's ok, I can always visit later yoi."

"Ok, I'll see you later Marco."

"Bye Ace."

That was the last he saw of Marco for the next week of his life.

The next day, Rayleigh came over again checking over him and deciding that he didn't need the cast anymore before removing it. Rayleigh had a busy day so he bidded farewell to him before leaving but not before telling him to stay home the next day for exercise before he went back to work. He left, leaving Ace to his own devices, as he grinned going to the forest to exercise as much as he could before he had to go back to the castle.

So for the rest of the day and the next Ace spend it practicing his swordsmanship.

When the day after the next came Ace had made preparations to leave, horse(Whom he called Epona) was saddled, also packing a snack for the road. He got on Epona before snapping the reins on her neck, her bolting forward in the direction of the castle. Once he got there he slowed Epona down, having he trot up to the gates where the guards were stationed.

"Well if it isn't the Commander of the 2nd Brigade! How have you've been doing Commander Ace? I heard you couldn't come because you twisted your ankle!"

"I've been doing alright! At ease men, you're right. By the way how did you know that I twisted my ankle?"

"The 4th and 14th Commander told the 6th commander who is in charge of the recruits! He in turn told all of us who were asking about you! Come on, let's get you and Epona inside. The king had told us to tell him of any returning soldiers, we're going to the Throne Room."

Ace nodded taking the gear off of Epona as he went, them going to the staple. He opened one of the gates to a open field, watching as she ran forward to interact with the other horses before he went with the soldiers to meet the king. They went inside starting through the enormous castle, but eventually coming to a giant set of double door? Just how big was the new king? As if reading his thoughts, one of the soldiers turned to him with a slight smile on his face.

"He's as big as you think, he's part giant so it's to be expected Commander. We had a soldier go before us when you went to go free Epona so the sons of the king must be here as well, There are 14 of them! Here we go, in you go. Good luck!

Ace nodded as the doors opened, head automatically making it's way down, as he stepped forward, seeing different pairs of feet to the sides of him until he meet some in front of him. Ace got to one knee, head still down and fist over his heart as he addressed the king.

"My king I-"

"Hey your that guy! What was his name Izo?"

"The soldiers call him Commander…."

"No his full name!"

"When I was asked on him, I asked who they were talking about and it seems he was the Commander of the 2nd Brigade when Akainu was in power."

Ace looked to the side where the voice came from(not wanting to meet the eyes of the king) to see the two who had visited him. His eyes widen, not expecting them to be the sons of the king himself, he knew they were from royalty family! He then remembered the punishment for looking directly at a royal before the automatic that had been beat him spilled from his lips for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I'm sorry that I didn't pay the proper respects before to you. I will take any punishment you see fit."

Silence had encased the whole room, until Ace heard footsteps approaching him not expecting to be pulled from his feet and staring in the eyes of the woman in the Kimono. He tried to downcast his eyes but the woman didn't seem to like that.

"No stop that! Whatever that man taught you was wrong! As a matter of fact, I want you to tell me what exactly everything that man has done so we can fix it!"

Ace's eyes widen as he tried to take a step back but she seemed stronger than she looked as the grip around him tightened. He sigh before beginning to speak.

"Can I at least sit down?"

She seemed to ponder the request before she let go, sitting down herself, which really surprised Ace. He sat down as well not even looking at the throne or it's king when he began.

"As you know before you came King Whitebeard, King Akainu was the king of this kingdom. He was a cruel man without equal on the battlefield, even better than some of the most talented commanders including myself. He didn't care about the people but for the record he didn't care about the nobles either but with the power they had, they could do anything as long as it didn't hinder him.

They took people as slaves, treated people like dirt like nothing. That's why I moved my brothers to the woods, everyone in the city was a target to their treatment thinking them in pain or worse would have gotten me killed I was sure of this. Akainu, himself, drafted people into his army and anyone who opposed was killed. Once I was drafted for the army, I was about of the draft itself, this was when I was starting out. My job was to kill anyone who didn't join, there were a lot of people who refused saying they would rather be killed then work for the man, and I don't blame them….

I wanted to live, and I had no problem killing or cutting down those in my way who would bring me down to be slaughtered by Akainu. My hand to hand combat was said to be the best in the whole kingdom….I wish it hadn't, because when word got to Akainu about my abilities he arranged for a fight to be held, me against 10 soldiers. I was to show him how efficient I was in my fighting skill, my task was to kill every man standing.

I remember the fear in their eyes as he said that, but it made no difference to me as before the battle he threatened not only me but my brothers as well saying if I wasn't going to comply maybe he could get them to do it. So I single handedly killed everyone with only my hands and a dagger of my own. I soon learned out that he was trying to make a squad including of the strongest people, I was the 2nd strongest hence why I commanded the 2nd Brigade. He killed anyone who didn't share his ideals of 'Justice', even almost me once…."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There was this boy, couldn't have been more than 15 years old, around my little brother's age at the time. His name was Coby, I think, he stood up to Akainu saying he wasting people's lives since there was a battle going on at the time. Akainu didn't take too nicely to this so he took his gun out about to shoot the boy when his mother got in front of him, and me holding Akainu's gun up to the sky.

The mother pleaded with Akainu to let her son live, saying he didn't mean what he said but Akainu was determined to kill the boy a an example of the boy. I told Akainu, I would take the punishment for the boy, if he let them both go. He accepted these terms, since he never liked me that much anyway. He order a gap in the crowd, telling them to crowd him for what he was about to do.

I was forced on my knees, as my head was pushed down. My hair was pretty long up until that point being down to the top of my back, feeling a dagger slicing through my locks until it was shorten to my neck. I then felt the cold barrel of the gun skimming my skin before a searing pain went through my left shoulder. He my left shoulder along with my stomach before he left leaving me on the stone floor of the road.

Thankfully I was saved by the town doctor, who happens to be my uncle. After that I returned to the castle with a arm sling and bandages around my abdomen….That didn't last long since I was tortured after that but at least I did something right for once in my entire life…."

The room was silent until Ace felt himself getting hugged. Ace tried to remove whoever was hugging but the iron grip on him didn't seemed to think the way he did.

"I'm sorry we couldn't have done anything sooner but the past is the past and all we can is better the future! We all call the king Pops, please do the same. He's not like Akainu so you don't have to be afraid ok?"

Ace nodded, although he still kept his eyes down before sighing once then looking up. His eyes widen at the man on the throne but was more surprised at the man next to the king, it was Marco….Ace gave a chuckle but understood why the kept his identity a secret, he slowly got up approaching the king's throne as he kneeled down grabbing Marco's hand.

Gasps went around the room as he kissed it, like any commoner to someone of royalty. He lifted his lips from the hand of the prince, everyone was in complete shock as the golden glow of a ring had been added on the hand of Marco.

"If you would allow me my king, I would like to stand by Prince Marco's side while in my years of service."

"Of course my boy! Marco?"

Ace didn't raise his head or let the smile fade from his face but what caught Ace by surprise was when his hand was grabbed before cold metal surrounded his right ring finger.

"As I command Brigadier, you are to stay by my side, never leaving it once. Am I clear?"

Ace smiled again letting the shock faded from his face as he lips touched Marco's hand once again.

"Of course, my Prince."

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Ooohhhhhhh my god! I just did that or Ace and Marco just did that! Great minds think alike no? Hahahahaha, Anyway I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing this little fluff fest! Anyway I will C you later~

Sapphire~


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